Dessert bars, brownies add sweet touch to any meal

Whatever it is about fall that brings cookies to mind, I’m not complaining because cookies or bars with tea, milk, coffee or even bubbly are hard to beat! 

A recent column featured some outstanding cookies from a national contest put on by the Crisco people in 1992. I was working full time at the Bee then, and have held on to that treasured little cookbook all these years because of the quality of the recipes. Today, we’ll look at the bars – and I hope you’ll love these vintage classics as much as I do! 

A note: Since Crisco sponsored the contest, the recipes all call for “Butter Flavor Crisco” – which I will dutifully print as “BFC*” in all the recipes; however, you may use your favorite butter, margarine or other (solid) medium of preference. Enjoy!

Butterscotch Brownies 

2 eggs

2 cups firm-packed brown sugar

½ cup BFC*

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans

Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9x2-inch pan. Beat eggs in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until light and foamy; add brown sugar, BFC* and vanilla. Beat until creamy.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add gradually to egg mixture at low speed until blended. Stir in nuts. Dough will be soft. Spread in greased pan. 

Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes until top is light brown and tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10-15 minutes, then cut into bars about 2x2½ inches.

Chewy Apricot Date Bars

Bars:

1½ cups firm-packed brown sugar

¾ cup + 4 tsp. BFC*

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups Quick Quaker Oats uncooked, divided and finely ground

½ cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. EACH nutmeg, salt

1 cup finely grated carrots

1 cup finely minced dried apricots

1 cup minced dates

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

2/3 cup Hershey’s Vanilla Milk chips

Frosting:

1 3-ounce pkg. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup BFC*

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar

1-2 tsp. milk

¾ tsp. lemon extract

1/3 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. finely grated lemon peel

1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9x2-inch pan; flour lightly, tap out excess. For bars, combine brown sugar and ¾ cup + 4 tsp. BFC* in large bowl. 

Beat at medium speed of mixer until fluffy; add eggs one at a time, then vanilla, beating until well blended and fluffy.

Combine ground oats with flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add gradually to creamed mixture at low speed.

Add remaining 1½ cups oats, carrots, apricots, dates, 1 cup nuts and vanilla milk chips. Mix till partially blended, finish mixing with a spoon. Spread in greased pan.

Bake 35-45 minutes or until center is set and dough just starts to pull away from sides of pan. Tester inserted in center should come out clean. Do NOT over-bake! Cool completely.

Make frosting: combine cream cheese, ¼ cup BFC*, confectioners’ sugar, milk, lemon extract, vanilla and lemon peel in medium bowl. Beat at low speed until blended; increase speed to medium-high and beat till fluffy. Spread on baked surface. Cut into bars. Refrigerate.

Chocolate-topped Peanut-butter Bars

Base:

2/3 cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup BFC*

¾ cup firm-packed brown sugar

½ cup cane sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1½ cups flour

½ tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

1 cup quick Quaker Oats, uncooked

Peanut Butter Layer:

1½ cups confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons Jif creamy peanut butter

1 tablespoon butter, softened

3 tablespoons milk

Chocolate Glaze:

2 1-ounce squares Hershey’s Unsweetened Baking Chocolate

2 tablespoons butter

Organize ingredients for all segments of recipe. Heat oven to 350F. Grease 13x9x2-inch pan.

For base, combine 2/3 cup peanut butter and BFC* in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until blended. Add sugars; beat until well-blended. Add eggs and vanilla, beat till well blended.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt; stir into creamed mixture with spoon. Stir in oats, blending all together well. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown; remove from oven and cool to room temperature.

Prepare peanut butter layer: combine confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, 1 tablespoon butter and milk. Mix with spoon until smooth, spread on cooled base. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Prepare chocolate glaze: Combine chocolate and 2 tablespoons butter in small saucepan over very low heat and melt, stirring till smooth. Cool slightly then spread over chilled bar/peanut-butter layer. Cut into bars about 3x1½ inches, then refrigerate about 1 hour to set. Let stand at room temperature 15-20 minutes before serving. Makes about 2 dozen bars.

Lemon Squares

Base:

¾ cup flour

1/3 cup firm-packed brown sugar

¼ cup BFC*

1 tablespoon plus 1½ teaspoons milk

Filling:

2 eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

½ tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Confectioners’ sugar

Heat oven to 350F. Use an ungreased 8x8x2-inch pan.

For base: Combine flour and brown sugar in small bowl. Beat at low speed of electric beater to blend. Add BFC; mix until fine crumbs form; sprinkle milk over crumbs. Mix until even crumbs form. Press into ungreased pan. Bake at 350F for 16 minutes. Remove from oven. Leave oven on.

For filling, combine eggs, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon peel and juice in medium bowl at medium-high speed. Beat 8 minutes till light and fluffy. Pour evenly over hot crust; return to oven. Bake 25 minutes or until firm in center when touched. Cool, cut into squares about 1½x1½ inches. Sift confectioners’ sugar over squares just before serving. Makes 2 dozen squares.

Tip: Substitute lime peel and juice for a different taste treat!

    Packed with carrots, apricots, dates, oats and walnuts, these moist, fruit-filled bars are topped with a tangy lemon cream cheese frosting for a treat that's as pretty as it is delicious.
  

    Rich with brown sugar and plenty of nuts, these old-fashioned butterscotch brownies have a soft, chewy texture and that wonderful butterscotch flavor that makes it nearly impossible to stop at just one square.
  

    Valle Novak
  

Editor’s note: For many years, Valle Novak wrote gardening and cooking columns for the Daily Bee. Weekend Gardener and Country Chef became renowned for their humor, information and common-sense advice on everything from planting to cooking. She left behind many columns such as this one to delight her many fans.